Water-power wheel



Sept. 11, 1945. J. Y. ROBERTSON v WATER POWER WHEEL.

Original Filed June 28, 1943 s sheets-shew@` Jay/Vv y. Ros-@fawn Sept. ll, 1945.

J. Y. ROBERTSON i WATER POWER WHEEL original Filed June 28, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. 055,@ T60/v, B Y

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Sept. 1l, 1945. J. Y. ROBERTSON WATER POWER WHEEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3` INI/EN TOR.

Original Filed June 28, 1943 w E J 4 & W x i: 2 T. .wv M /M mmHlIHHHIIHumm 3 w HHHHMHmmWI m 1i m l .fl fm w mwwwwlwwm.. 7 IW HQ & In llwwlimw, ,HQ au www H|rlwmwz` Mmm 4 g o e 5. o E o N j 4 T- N i l l l 1 uw l f T 4 MQ L T9 Z C70/VN y. 9055/?7'60/1/ Patented Sept. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE WATER-POWER WHEEL John Y. Robertson, El Paso, Tex. Original vapplicationv June Y28, 1943, Serial No.

492,619. Divided and this application December 10, 1943, Serial No. 513,771

.6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in water power wheels, and particularly to water turbine and like wheels designed for use in water power systems for utilizing the flow of water for transmitting power to drive any desired kind of apparatus or machinery.

The present application is a division of my prior application Ser. No. 492,619, led June 28, 1943, which issued as Patent Number 2,342,223 on Feb'- ruary 22, 1944, and applies to the construction of water wheel disclosed therein and which is adapted for use in such asystem or other similar systems for developing power from a flowing water source.

The main object of the invention is to provide a water power wheel which is simple, strong and durable in constructionand free running so as to develop a maximum amount of power available from the flowing source.

A further object of the invention is to provide a power wheel which is adjustable to a degree to compensate for 'wear of its bearings, which is adapted to be readily applied to a flume structure for use and removed for repairs or replacement as required, and which embodies novel bearing means capable of being readily kept lubricated to maintain it in working order over a long period of time.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention as used in connection with a flume structure of the type disclosed in my aforesaid application, Ser. No. 492,619, and in these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a `water powersystem, showing the use therein of a number of my improved water power wheels;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

, Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on an enlarged scale taken, forexample, on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 through the flume, one of the water wheel chambers and the wheel therein, and showing particularly the wheel mounting.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sections on an enlarged scale, taken, respectively, on the lines 5-5 and 6--6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I designates a flume which may be either curved or straight or embody both curvedand straight portions, and which may be of suitable width and depth and constructed of concrete, metal, Wood or any desired combination of these materials. This nume comprises in general a bottom wall 2, side walls 3, 3' and partitions 4, the last-named forming a desired number of turbine or water wheel chambers or compartments 5, 5, 5b and a raceway 6 common to all of said chambers or compartments. Three such chambers or compartments are shown in the present instance, in each of which Vis arranged a horizontally rotatable turbine or water wheel 'I of a novel construction and mounting hereinafter more fully described, but it is to be understood that any length of flume and number of chambers or compartments and water wheels arranged in succession therein may be employed according to working conditions and the amount of power to be developed and transmitted for use. The chambers are arrangedy in alinement mainly on one side of the longitudinal center of the flume and their outer sides join the side wall 3 of the nume,

while the raceway 6 is arranged between the inner sides of the chambers and opposite side wall 3' of the flume. From the head end to the tail end of the nume the flume and chambers are formed so as todispose the chambers and their flume portions in stepped relation, each at a desiredlower level from the one preceding it, so that' the chambers and fiume Aslope at a required angle to give a desired head flow or Velocity to the water supplemental to any normal head flow which it may have. Each chamber 5, 5a, 5b is provided with a central depending bearing sump or Well 8 which extends downward through the bottom wall 2,.

The forming partitionl of each chamber 5, 5a, 5b comprises a main chamber forming wall portion 9 and a deector forming wall portion IU. The wall portion 9 is concentric with the bearing sump andaxis of the wheel I and extends through an arc of about 250 degrees from one end II thereof adjoining the flume wall 3 about the sides and head portion of the chamber and terminates at its opposite end I2 at the discharge side of the chamber between the longitudinal center of the fiume and the raceway l6, while the wall portion I0 extends on a curved line from the first-named end II of the wall portion 9 adjoining the wall 3 outwardly and rearwardly away from the discharge side of the wheel and toward the ume wall 3' at a, tangent to the wheel and eccentric to its axis and terminates at its free end I3 beyond the free end I2 of the wall portion 9. |A aring discharge passage I4 is thus formed at the rear of the chamber which opens between the wall ends I2 and I3 into the raceway 6 and the wall I [l thus servesto deflect the spent water Vfrom theV wheel rearwardly and at an angle to the circumference of the wheel toward the raceway and in a direction toward the tail end of the fiume.

In the head portions of chamber walls 9 of the respective chambers are formed water inlet passages I5, a, I5b controlled by vertically sliding gates I6, Ita, |51. Each of ,these passages is located in its chamber wall at one side of the longitudinal vcenter of the flume and between the same and the raceway 5. Arranged at the head of the flume are partitions I1 and I3. The partition I'I extends on a curved line from vthe wall 3 to the wall 9 of the first wheel chamber 5 of the series and connects therewith about in line with the longitudinal center of the flume,

while the partition I8 extend-s across the flumev from side to side thereof to form a forebay .o r penstock I9 to which water is admitted from the source for flow to the water wheel. In the .p artition I8 are provided central and side passages 2D, ZI vand '22, controlled, respectively, vby vertically sliding `gates 23, 24 and 25, whereby a greater 'or lless volume of water may be admitted from the source4 to the forebay I'S for passage to the water wheel chambers or racewayor both.

Arranged in the raceway 6' are partitions, 26a, 26h having passageways 21, 273,2?) formed therein-and a vertically sliding gate 28, 28a, 28h for controlling said passageways. -Each lof these partitions extends at an' inward and rearward angle from the wall '8' to `the wali 9 Aof Ythe adjacent chamber and connects with thelatter between the 'passageway I5 of said 'chamberv and the 'race-way t. A'similar partition 29 'is disposed in the raceway 'beyond the last 'chamber '5b of the series Vand between the same andthetal ,end of the flume. This vpartition 29 'is joined"[to the 'end I3 'of the wall `III of the 'wheel chamber 5b of the series by a partition ,39 arranged at right angles thereto, the two'forming a V-shaped partition lbetween said'wheel chamberand a tailbay or tailstock rSlin which watermay be conned until its final dischargeV from the flume. In these partitions 29 and 30 `arepassa'geways '3,2' and '33 contro-lledby vertically sliding gates 34 and y35. A partition 3 6 extends across the flume to control th'e `discharge of the 'water 'from the bay3 l. This may be provided with any desired number of outlet passages and .control gates therefor.

`In the present instance'two such lpassages 3l vand -of Water supplied to each wheel 6r to two o r more wheels of the series aswell as the flow of water through the raceway, as hereinafter fully described.

vThe water wheels or turbines 'I employed and constituting rthe present invention may be .of any suitable construction,but as shown eachis of'wheel type and comprises a central Vhubor sleeve 41, spokes 'or arms 42 radiating therefrom, `and a rim band 43 carried by the spokes or'arms, said Yband "being provided with upper and lower circular flanges '44 forming 'therewith `a channeled rim in which are inclosed vanes or vbuckets '45 of either fixed or adjustable type, as desired. The hub or sleeve 41| is fixed to or adjustably mounted .on a shaft 46 stepped and jour- `naled la'tits 'lower end the .bearing sump 8 and /journaled -at its'upperend in and supported v*by a crossbar or `beam 4l. The shaft 46 vis hol-low to provi'dea passag'e for the reception and vflow of lubricant through ducts'S to the bearing surfaces in the sump. A threaded cap 50 may be provided at the upper end of the shaft to close and prevent entrance of dust and dirt to the passage 48. An antifriction thrust bearing construction 5I may be provided in the sump to insure greater ease of motion of the shaft, and suitable packing 52, secured in place by a gland 53,-may be provided at the top `of the sump to exclude water, dirt, grit and other foreign substances from the bearing surfaces in the sump.

' In practice the hub 4I may be secured by bolts to the shaft, Where the wheel is to be secured for any reason at a iixed point on the shaft above the bottom of the Wheel chamber, but, if desired, and as shown, the wheel may be adjustably secured to the shaft, as by the use of disks with hub portions .adjustably secured, as by setscrews, to the shaft, and the lower hub disk may beformed to ride in a preferred lowermost position of adjustment `of the wheel on the gland 53V or the sump'body'to give maximum stability of support to the Wheel Yunder certain operating conditions.

The `upper portion of the shaft 46 may have an antif'riction bearing engagement with the bar or beam 41. As shown in t-he present instance, the shaft extends upwardly through a bearing cup '54 seated in an opening in and suitably fixed to the bar or '-b'eam. 'In this cup are disposed antifriction bearing balls v55 engaged 'by an adjustable bearing sleeve 56 having threaded engagement with t'l'l,A shaft, whereby the upper p ortion of the shaft is journaled for free rotation 0n the b ar or beam. Hand grips 51 on this bearing sleeve adapt it tobe conveniently Yrotated to adjust the shaft to bear properly on the upper and lower set of 'bearings and to compensate for wear on the bearings. The shaft may project to any desired extent above the bar or beam and 'be provided with agear 15,8, na pulley or any 'other -,means for transmitting power from the rotating wheel to "any machine vor apparatus to be driven. Separate transmission gearing is preferably employed in connection with each Wheel'shaft so .that power from each or any number of 'them'may be transmitted tothe same or different machines to be driven. The bar Vor beam 48 rests adjacent its endspn the flume walls 3, .,3' Vand may be detachably secured to the walls against shifting while in use by means of bolts or other'suitable fastenings 59. rAt the ends of the bar may be provided hand grips E0 by which, on removal of the bolts 5,9, it may be 'lifted off the Aflume `and the attached wheel also conveniently -lifted out of bearing `engagement with the sump whenever it is desired to remove vthe wheel or replace it with a new one. To relieve the bearing connection between the shaft vand bar or beam Y,from strain while ,-a Wheel is being lifted out `of jor lowered into position, suitable xsupporting .or .draft-connections may loe provided. Those shown in the present instance consist .of cables or vchains fl attached at one end to the bar or beam and 'having hooks or the like '.612 at their free iends engageable with the wheel spokes :to positi-veiy connect the bar or beam with the wheel.v These cables may be wound -up on the -bar or beam when not in use 'to -keep them elevated clear o f the wheel. In case chains are used in 'place of the cables, the hooks may be engaged with links .of the chain to hold the vhooks and .chains vin an elevated position.. In addition, .draft .eyes .6'3 orv the like may be provided on the bar or beam to adapt it tobe engagedwithand lifted by a hoisting crane for greater convenience inthe handling of a bar or beam and `wheel ofl heavy type. Cover boards orplates of suitable character may in practice be "used to'close the top of the flume, if desired, and these may be removable'so that access may be Yreadily obtained to the flume at any point. The ilume'may` be built as a unit of ,any one or any combination of the materials specified, or it may be builtin sections of suitable form for assemblage to provide a fiume of any given length,

width'andzconformation. f l In' practice, with the gates I6 closed, gates in the partitions I8, 28, 26a, 25h, 29, 39 and 31 may be opened tofallow water to flow in quantity desired through the raceway without operating the wheels. In operating one or more wheels the gates in the partitions I8, 29, 3G and 31 may be opened as required to supply any given volume of water for use within a given period of time. Assuming that gates in the partitions I9, 29, 3i) and 31 are open for flow of a required Volume of water, it will be understood that upon opening gates I6, 28a and 28h, while keeping gates 16a, I?b and 28 closed, water may be supplied to operate the wheel in chamber 5 while the wheels in chambers Elft and 5b remain idle. Similarly, by opening gates I6 and Ilia and keeping gates 16h, 28 and 28a closed, the wheels in chambers 5 and 5a may be operated while the wheel in chamber 5b remains idle and by opening all the gates I6, |611, 1Gb and keeping gates 28, 28a, 28b closed the wheels in all the chambers may be operated and in such manner that the water from one chamber will flow to the following chamber. By opening gate 29, however, while keeping gates 28a, 28b closed, an augmented supply of water may be fed to the wheel in chamber 5a to rotate it faster than the wheels in chambers 5 and 5b, and by opening gates 28 and 28a, while keeping gate 28b closed, an augmented supply of water may be fed to the wheels in the chambers 5a and 5b to rotate the wheels therein at higher speed than the wheel in chamber 5 and at the same or different relative speeds. However, by proper adjustment of the gates all the wheels may be made to rotate fast or slow at the same speed or at different relative speeds to supply the same or different amounts of driving power for use. By proper regulation of the gates also water may be by-passed about or diverted from any one or more of the wheel chambers and employed to operate the wheel or wheels in any other chamber or chambers desired. Thus the amount of power which may be supplied to each wheel and the number of wheels operated at a time may be varied to supply any amount of power required and to furnish such power to a single machine or appliance or a number of machines or appliances to be driven.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my novel and improved water wheel will be readily understood without a further and extended description, and it will be seen that it provides a wheel of sturdy type, adapted to be easily driven, capable of developing a maximum amount of the available power from the fiowing source, and adapted to be op erable over a long period, owing to the fact that its bearings may be readily kept lubricated and are protected from the action of elements which would otherwise cause undesirable friction and wear.

While the structure shown for purpose of example is preferred, it is to be understood that changes inthe form, construction and arrange. ment of parts may be made within the ,scope of the appended claims without departing from Vthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. I Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a teripower wheel structuraa flume having a bottom bearing, a shaft journaled at its lower end in said bearing, a water wheel mounted on the shaft, a bar extending across and ,supported by. the side walls ofthe flume, an upper bearing member. rotatively mounting the shaft on: the Vbar and coupling `theshaft with the bar for raising and lowering movements therewith, and in whichI the upper portion of the shaft is journaled, and draft means for connectingthe bar with the wheel and whereby on a lifting movement of the bar the weight of the wheel will be removed from the upper bearing and the wheel may be raised and the shaft removed from the bottom bearing.

2. In a water power wheel structure, a flume having a bottom bearing, a shaft journaled at its lower end in said bearing, a water wheel mounted on the shaft, a bar extending across and supported by the side walls of the Ilume, a stationary bearing member positively connected with the bar, a bearing member on the shaft and overlying and rotatably engaging the bearing member on the bar, and draft means for coupling the bar to the wheel to adapt the wheel to be raised and the shaft removed from the bottom bearing by upward movement of the bar and to sustain the weight of the wheel from the bar and remove the weight of the wheel from the upper bearing.

3. In a Water power wheel structure, a, fiume comprising a bottom wall and side walls, the bottom wall having a bearing sump, bearing means at the base of the sump, packing means at the top of the sump, a shaft having its lower end extending downward through the packing into the sump and engaging said bearing means, said shaft being provided with a lubricant conducting channel formed therein and opening through its upper end and extending therefrom downward and having lateral outlets at its lower end communi-l cating with the sump for supply of lubricant to the bearing surfaces, a water wheel mounted on the shaft, a bar extending across the flume between and supported by the side walls thereof, bearing means for the upper end of the shaft comprising a bearing member on the bar and a bearing member on the shaft resting on and rotatably engaging the bearing member on the bar, and draft means for coupling th'e bar to the wheel to adapt the wheel to be raised and the shaft removed from the bottom bearing by upward movement of the bar.

4. In a water power wheel structure, a flume having a bottom bearing sump, bearing means at the base of the sump, packing means at the top of the sump, a shaft having its lower end extending downward through the packing into the sump and engaging said bearing means, said shaft being provided with a lubricant conducting channel formed therein and opening through its upper end and extending therefrom downward and having lateral outlets at its lower end communicating with the sump for supply of lubricant to the bearing surfaces, a water wheel mounted on the shaft, a supporting bar, and bearing means on the bar for the upper end of the shaft.

5. In a water power wheel structure, a nume having a bottom bearing sump, bearing means at the baise of the sump packing means at; the top of the sump, a shaft 11a-,ving its lower end extend-- ing downward throught the packing into the sump sind eng-aging saaie. bearing means, a. weterfwheel mounted orf the shaft, said shaft' beingfprovided, with a, lubricant conducting ch'annel formed therein and. opening' outvcfzudly let its upper end andi provided aat its lower end with lateral outlets inclined downwardly and, outwardly and: *com--Y mm'icating with; the sump for supply 'of lubricant to the bearing surfaces, and a support having bearings for the upper.f end: of the shaft.

6a Inr a; wete? power wheel, structure, a; ume having a, bottom. bearing sump, al bearing at the base" of the sump, packing means at the' top of the sump?,Y a', shaft; lira-ving its lower end extending downward throughwthe packing' into the sump and engaging: said bearing means, a, Water wheel mounted. oni the shaft,\ a, bar adapted to be extended across the between and removably supported by the side Walls therzeo, a: bearing for the upper end of tlrxey shalt comprising ar lower beaming member onthebar and upper bearingx member on the she-ft resting on and rotatably* engaging the `lower bearing member, and draft means for coupling the bar' to the Wheel to adapt the Wheel to be raised without strain. upony the upper bearing member the shaft removed from the bottom bearing by upward movement of theI bar. n Y

J CHN Y. ROBERTSON. 

